Lance Parrish vs John Stearns: Career Stats Comparison
Lance Parrish has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lance Parrish played 1977–1995 as a hitter; John Stearns played 1974–1984 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Lance Parrish (1977–1995) and John Stearns (1974–1984) — both broke in during the 1970s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Lance Parrish finished with 1,782 hits and 324 home runs; John Stearns finished with 696 hits and 46 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lance Parrish, with 324 to John Stearns's 46.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lance Parrish, with .753 to John Stearns's .717.
- Who had the higher batting average? John Stearns, with .260 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Lance Parrish, with 1,782 to John Stearns's 696.
- Who drove in more runs? Lance Parrish, with 1,070 to John Stearns's 312.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lance Parrish, with 6,792 career PIV to John Stearns's 1,204.
- Who won more championships? Lance Parrish, with 1 World Series title to John Stearns's 0.
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lance Parrish and John Stearns. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lance Parrish | John Stearns |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,988 | 810 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,067 | 2,681 |
| Runs | Leads: 856 | 334 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,782 | 696 |
| Doubles | Leads: 305 | 152 |
| Triples | Leads: 27 | 10 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 324 | 46 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,070 | 312 |
| Walks | Leads: 612 | 323 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,527 | 294 |
| Stolen Bases | 28 | Leads: 91 |
| Batting Avg | .252 | Leads: .260 |
| On-Base % | .313 | Leads: .341 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .440 | .375 |
| OPS | Leads: .753 | .717 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lance Parrish outpaces John Stearns 6,792 to 1,204 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 340 PIV per season to 109, across 20 seasons to 11. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
John Stearns — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lance Parrish leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while John Stearns owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lance Parrish. PIV agrees: Lance Parrish grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lance Parrish and John Stearns careers compare
Lance Parrish and John Stearns were active at the same time between 1977 and 1984. Lance Parrish has the far longer record, 1,988 games against 810 across 20 and 11 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. John Stearns's edges on the table are stolen bases (91 to 28), batting average (.260 to .252), and on-base percentage (.341 to .313). At the plate, Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612), while John Stearns walked more often than struck out (323 walks, 294 strikeouts). Lance Parrish is the more power-leaning hitter, with 324 of 1,782 hits leaving the park.
Lance Parrish vs John Stearns: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lance Parrish or John Stearns?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lance Parrish leads John Stearns in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lance Parrish or John Stearns hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to John Stearns's 46.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lance Parrish, with .753 to John Stearns's .717.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- John Stearns, with .260 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Lance Parrish, with 1,782 to John Stearns's 696.